Trailer
Summary
A Victorian surgeon rescues a heavily disfigured man being mistreated by his "owner" as a side-show freak. Behind his monstrous façade, there is revealed a person of great intelligence and sensitivity.
Good for
- Friends night
- Teens
- Thought-provoking
Skip it if
- Graphic violence bothers you
Where to watch
Fingerprint
At a glance
Critics vs audiences
Critics and audiences agree
Critics 85Audiences 87GoodWatch 85
Tomatometer91%
Metascore78
Audience score93%
User score8.7
Letterboxd · 501 K ratings4.3/5
IMDb8.2
Box office
5.2×its budget
- Budget
- $5 M
- Worldwide
- $26 M
Worldwide it earned $21 M more than it cost.
Running time
2 h 4 min
A typical length for dramas, +15 min on the typical 109
typical 109124Half of all dramas run 98–125 min.
Reach
Streams in 25 countries, rent or buy in 45 more
+15Released
1980
October 9, 1980
46 years ago
Genres
DramaHistoryLanguage
English
Original language
Made in
United States
United Kingdom
BAFTA Awards1981
- Best Film1981Won
- Best Leading Actor1981Won
- Best Leading Actor1981Won
- Best Director1981Nominated
- Best Adapted Screenplay1981Nominated
- Best Editing1981Nominated
César Awards1982
- Best Foreign Film1982Won
Academy Awards1981
- Best Picture1981Nominated
- Directing1981Nominated
- Writing (Adapted Screenplay)1981Nominated
- Actor in a Leading Role1981Nominated
- Cinematography1981Nominated
- Costume Design1981Nominated
- Film Editing1981Nominated
- Music (Original Score)1981Nominated
- Production Design1981Nominated
Golden Globe Awards1980 to 1981
- Best Motion Picture, Drama1981Nominated
- Best Director, Motion Picture1981Nominated
- Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama1981Nominated
- Best Actor, Motion Picture Drama1980Nominated
Directors Guild of America Awards1981
- Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Theatrical Feature Film1981Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards1981
- Best Drama Adapted from Another Media1981Nominated
Rated
- PGUnited States
Not for young kids: it's rated PG in the United States for disturbing imagery and violence, and the viewing guide lists it for teens and adults.
What's in it
- ViolenceMild
- Gore, disturbing imagesIntense
- Frightening scenesMild
- Sex, nudityLittle or none
- Dark themesStrong
In white: what the content advisories name. Levels from the title analysis.
Viewing guide
AdultsFriends NightIntergenerationalPartner WatchPublic Viewing SafeSolo WatchTeensThought-ProvokingNot listed for kids or family movie night.
and 32 more83 people
- Anthony HopkinsFrederick Treves
- John HurtJohn Merrick
- Anne BancroftMrs Kendal
- John GielgudCarr Gomm
- Wendy HillerMothershead
- Freddie JonesBytes
- Michael ElphickNight Porter
- Hannah GordonMrs Treves
Helen RyanPrincess Alex
John StandingFox
Dexter FletcherBytes' Boy
Lesley DunlopNora
Phoebe NichollsMerrick's Mother
Pat GormanFairground Bobby- CDClaire DavenportFat Lady
- OPOrla PedersonSkeleton Man
- PSPatsy SmartDistraught Woman
Frederick TrevesAlderman- SStromboliFire Eater
- RHRichard HunterHodges
- JCJames CormackPierce
- RLRobert Lewis BushMessenger
- RERoy EvansCabman
- JRJoan RhodesCook
Directing · 3
- David Lynch Director, Screenplay, Sound Designer
- Anthony Waye Assistant Director
- Ceri Evans Script Supervisor
Writing · 4
- Eric Bergren Screenplay
- Christopher De Vore Screenplay
- Frederick Treves Book
- Ashley Montagu Book
Production · 4
- Stuart Cornfeld Executive Producer
- Jonathan Sanger Producer
- Maggie Cartier Casting
- Terence A. Clegg Executive In Charge Of Production
Camera · 2
- Freddie Francis Director of Photography
- Frank Connor Still Photographer
Editing · 2
- Anne V. Coates Editor
- Patrick Moore Assistant Editor
Sound · 5
- John Morris Original Music Composer
- Robin Gregory Sound mixer
- Jack Hayes Orchestrator
- Peter Horrocks Sound Editor
- Terry Sharratt Boom Operator
Art · 5
- Stuart Craig Production Design
- Terry Wells Sr. Property Master
- Hugh Scaife Set Decoration
- Robert Cartwright Art Direction
- John Roberts Set Designer
Costume & Make-Up · 5
- Patricia Norris Costume Design
- Christopher Tucker Makeup Designer
- Stephanie Kaye Hairstylist
- Tiny Nicholls Costume Supervisor
- Wally Schneiderman Makeup Artist
Visual Effects · 1
- Martin Gutteridge Special Effects Supervisor
Lighting · 2
- Roy Larner Gaffer
- Wick Finch Electrician
Other crew · 6
- Neil Corbould Special Effects
- Paul Corbould Special Effects
- Alan Splet Special Sound Effects
- Graham Longhurst Special Effects
- Garth Inns Special Effects
- Brian Hathaway Transportation Captain
Tropes
More like this
Similar
Most like The Elephant Man overall
Nearest on the related map: closest in everything it does to you, not one trait
- Lust for Life (1956)
GoodWatch score 72 - The Brutalist (2024)
GoodWatch score 81 - The Testament of Ann Lee (2025)
GoodWatch score 73 - Maria (2024)
GoodWatch score 67 - The Passion of the Christ (2004)
GoodWatch score 60 - Pollock (2000)
GoodWatch score 74 - Hamnet (2025)
GoodWatch score 82 - Frida (2002)
GoodWatch score 71 - The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974)
GoodWatch score 85 - Aftershock (2010)
GoodWatch score 83 - An Angel at My Table (1990)
GoodWatch score 82 - Andrei Rublev (1966)
GoodWatch score 90 - The Death of Louis XIV (2016)
GoodWatch score 67 - Kundun (1997)
GoodWatch score 73 - The Promised Land (2023)
GoodWatch score 76 - The Knick (2014)
GoodWatch score 80
Same genre
More drama movies
- Oppenheimer (2023)
GoodWatch score 86 - Django Unchained (2012)
GoodWatch score 82 - Titanic (1997)
GoodWatch score 77 - The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
GoodWatch score 85 - Soul (2020)
GoodWatch score 81 - Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
GoodWatch score 82 - Creed (2015)
GoodWatch score 79 - A History of Violence (2005)
GoodWatch score 77